Comment

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 5:12pm

Okay folks...time for ME to come out clean! So the handsome sailor is our Nick at A school graduation. Wanna put bets on who the other sailor is?!!

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 5:08pm

Jean, always good to see you and if it took Hoppi..."coming out" all the better!

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 4:55pm

Big week ahead for our sailor ...or is it for me? He will be 22 on Sunday and Thursday marks his ONE yr. anniversary with the US Navy, no complaints from him but from our perspective - the year certainly has been a fast one.

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 11:20am

I'm SO glad that the camero is STILL the 2nd baby Kellie!! That means...the marriage is going well!!! LOL

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 11:06am

That's a great gpa Kellie, telling Mickie we are watching him here...let's add a little more pressure!!! Glad that you got the car situation worked out, my only experience with a transporter was it was TOO expensive and we found a sailor to drive our 2nd car cross country. We were doing a PCS and had two cars and two small children and Steve was not letting ME drive !!

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 10:46am

Karen, for the first time we did not claim our children as dependents (2008) and they were both entitled to the stimulus payment as a result. Put more money in their pockets and alittle less in ours but...I just KNOW they will take good care of us in our "elder" years...right?!!!

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 10:07am

LOL Karen! I understand it just kinda...shows up.

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 20, 2009 at 9:40am

Wow - I think someone needs to explain to this Sailor ...sometimes saying less is...more. I do know that you are pro Navy and proud of your sailor too IntelChips. Our sailors are going to learn alot in the years ahead - including how to work with all mindsets and personalities - but Wow.

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 19, 2009 at 11:44pm

I know some of you have expressed concerns with the Enterprise and a GM friend suggested that I might want to stop by their group and read...

Good Afternoon All Proud Navy Moms,

First, I want to thank you all for you incredible dedication to you sons and daughters serving in the Navy. I look back 12 years to when I joined myself and can say quite firmly my Mother helped me get thru some very daunting times. Thank you so very much.

I wanted to join this website because I have had several of your sons and daughters on my ship at Training Support Center, Great Lakes IL. My name is SH1(SW) William Barton, and I am the Leading Petty Officer of BEQ 532, the USS Enterprise. Some of you have quoted your sons by called Her the "Enterprison", and if that is so then I have the honor of being the "warden". I wanted to clear up a few things that have been said here, in the hopes to put some fears to rest and to foster good will between the Enterprise staff and the parents of the students we mentor .

Enterprise is the SCC ship for the base. SCC is Surface Common Corps, a course that each and every sailor going into the surface fleet is required to take once the Base Indoctrination course after Boot Camp is complete. Upon completion of SCC, a student will either go directly to the Fleet, or on to his or her next phase of training, usually A-School. I house up to 476 sailors at any given moment and have a staff of approx 7 senior sailors. The environ`ment on Enterprise is very hectic to say the least. One of the reasons for this is that we move anywhere from 30 to 60 students in and out of Enterprise each weekday. This is due to SCC graduating classes and the need to move students into the next phase of training as soon as possible. As we house all the SCC students on base, once they graduate we need to move them to another building to get the next class in. It can be daunting, but I believe we do it very well.

One of the comments that caught my eye was a Navy Mother who stated her son only had time to eat one meal a day. I was concerned about this because the last thing I want is an impression that your sons and daughters are not being fed. The Enterprise is a night ship, meaning that Student curriculum starts at 1530 and ends around midnight. The students are on liberty (free time) from 0700 to 1145 each day. They can do as they please (within reason) during this time as long as they do not leave base. From 1200 to 1500 the students are involved in training which can be anything from Naval Heritage to Physical Training. The base Galley serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and a meal called "mid rats" or midnight rations. We ensure that our sailors have at least 1 hour to eat each meal. Dinner is also available, as the school house gives the students a break during class. Lastly, the night students have the option to go to "mid rats" to get a "grab and go", which is a bag lunch. Now, one of the problems we have run into is with the Sailors ID card. You see, each military ID is made with a CAC chip, which among other things is used at the Galley for a student to check in and check out for meals. A sailors ID card has to be used to get in the galley and eat. Some sailors in the past have had issues with their cards needing to be "reset". To reset a card, a sailor has to go to the personnel building, and this can be time consuming. In the event a sailors card ceases to work, until they have the chance to reset it we can give them a RIK chit, which is basically a meal pass. This being said, some sailors will take their time getting the issue with that card resolved. Sorry for the long winded explanation, but the long and the short is that you sailors do have plenty of time to eat, and many options and times.

The meal issue is one of many I have seen here, another being the level of discipline on Enterprise. We do indeed have an enviroment that requires a higher level of discipline than other ships. My staff and I have students that, aside from a week in an Indoctrination to the base, are fresh out of Recruit Training. Combine that with persons from all walks of life and you have some issues that pop up. Are there some thefts, yes. But, every incident of theft we have had stems from the sailor not locking up their gear. When you have 476 students and 7 staff, you can't be everywhere all the time. Not that I am approving of theft, but we teach sailors to be responsible with personal belongings.

I wish I could spend more time explaining how we work, but sadly I think I have taken up alot of space already. I do want to close by saying that my staff and I have and open door policy, for students and parents alike. Should you have any questions, comments, concerns...anything at all, please contact you sailor, and if you desire, me. My main concern is to ensure that the sailors I train are just that, trained and ready for the Fleet. Will some sailors gripe and have issues adapting, certainly. The Naval Service is not easy, nor is it meant to be. But anything that is worth something requires some sacrifice. We are not a prison. We are Enterprise, and we hold our sailors to a very high standard. We do so because the American people do, and I do not intent to dissapoint. All I would ask is you remind your sons and daughters that we are here to help, and to being any issues to our attention. I cannot fix a problem I am unaware of.

This all being said, thank you so very much for your kind attention and support. You are indeed the backbone of the Navy, and along with Navy Spouses, the keystone for our foundation we sailors build our lives upon. I look forward to hearing from you should you chose to contact me.

Very Respectfully, and with deepest admiration,
William Barton, SH1(SW)
Leading Petty Officer, USS Enterprise
william.g.barton@navy.mil

Comment by Mary, Proud Mom of Nick on February 19, 2009 at 11:09pm

Julie, Julie, Julie!! I thought I was in the WRONG room for a moment when I seen your sweet face!!! So nice of you to remember us....school types!! LOL

Is Kyle more excited about the cranking duty coming to an end or receiving that bonus check?!!! Good to see ya gal!

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